Wrench



012i. 4, 1938. J L, DONOVAN 2,132,2U7

WRENCH Filed March 17, 1957 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented a. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRENCH Joseph L. Donovan, Duluth, Minn.

Application March 17,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to wrenches, and has special reference to one adapted for use in the manipulation of bottles, jars, and the tops thereof, and to such a device as illustrated in my former Patent No. 2,002,767, dated May 28th, 1935; in fact this invention is deemed a material improvement thereof, which is the principal object of the invention.

Other advantages and improvements of the invention over the prior art will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring noW to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved wrench.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, illustrating the manner of assembling the cooperative parts of the device.

Figure. 3 is a perspective view of the adjustable terminus of the resilient member of the wrench.

i represents a tubular handle, slightly flattened upon two opposite sides, longitudinally of one of which flattened sides which will be referred to as the back is formed a narrow slot 2, terminating near the gripping end of the wrench in a rectangularly shaped opening 3 through which theotherwise free end of the gripping member 4 is inserted for selective adjustment in conjunction with any of the transverse slots 5 formed in the 30 flattened surface of the front of the handle.

In the flattened back of the handle and in close juxtaposition to the grip attached terminus is formed a transverse slot indicated at 6 through which the resilient gripping member 4 is attached and made secure. byv the end of the gripping 'or spring member being bent backwardly upon itself and looped as at 1. This spring member 4 has as an additional frictional surface the sections of flat knurled-like surfaced strips of rubber 8 which may or may not be in sections as illustrated, though this happens to be convenient for application as well as construction. These gripping members 8 however only extend a distance on the spring member to permit of sufficient of the latter remaining for longitudinal engagement within the handle I of the device.

As a convenient and positive hold for the gripping member thus equipped within the handle portion, the upper end of the latter is terminated diagonally as at 9 and provided with the projecting lip H] which forms a positive fulcrum-likemember when the device is being operated as a wrench, the handle portion substantially pivoted on such point which materially helps in the gripping of the device whenbeing operated.

' The opposite end of the spring member is pro- 1937,. Serial No. 131,445

vided with the thumbcatch fixed thereto, being somewhat of L-shape, the flat finger ll of which is slightly arcuate in form to provide a more secure grip when passed through any one of the slots 5, and has a manipulating handle l2 project- 5 ing in the opposite direction for protrusion through the slot 2 in. the back of the wrench handle, and by which the catch may be slid back and forth within the handle for engagement with any one of the slots 5 in clamping the gripping 10 band about a bottle or can top, neck, or body portion.

It is to be noted here that the upwardly extending portion it of the grip extends laterally of the spring member 4 forming shoulders which 15 normally prevent the dislodgement of the band through the hold 3, but when the catch is turned by twisting action of the spring 4 as illustrated in Figure 2 it may be readily slipped in the hole 3, at which time when released it will assume its 20 proper slidable position within the handle and thus function admirably, as intended.

If desired markings such as illustrated at M, either at one or both sides of each slot, or centrally on the front of the handle, may be placed 25 to indicate the proper positioning of the band for the manipulation of various sized containers, such as quarts, pints, etc., as indicated at M.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A wrench of the class described comprising a hollow handle having -a plurality of spaced openings in one side thereof and a slot in the opposite side extending from the free end of the handle to adjacent the other end thereof where said'slot terminates in an opening, said other end having a transverse slot therein, a flexible band having means at one end for engaging said transverse slot and adapted to pass through the second mentioned opening, and a catch atits free 40 end for engaging any one of the other spaced openings, said catch being operable through said first mentioned slot.

2. A wrench of the class described comprising a hollow handle having a plurality of spaced 45 openings in one side thereof and a slot in the opposite side extending from the free end of the handle to adjacent the other end thereof and terminating in an opening, said other end having a transverse slot therein, a flexible band having means at one end for engaging said transverse slot and adapted to pass through the second mentioned opening, a catch at its free end for engaging any one of the other spaced openings, and a manipulating handle projecting from said catch through said slot for adjusting the band.

JOSEPH L. DONOVAN. 

